Many of those reading this may know my school's former principal, Wang Ying-Jhou. He moved to San He Elementary from Tung Hai Elementary last year, though I still see him fairly often. He lives in a house right across from my apartment building, so I see him every time I go down to take out the trash. 很多看這篇文章的人應該也認識我學校的前任校長---王校長. 他去年從東海國小調到三合國小, 現在我還是常常碰到他. 因為他住在我住的大樓對面, 我每次丟垃圾都會碰到他.
This evening my wife, my daughters, and I attended his son's wedding banquet at the Yi-Jia (One House) Restaurant on Geng Sheng Road. His son is marrying the daughter of the veterinarian who looks after our four cats. Taitung is a relatively small place, so while this is something of a coincidence, it is not remarkably so. 今晚我和家人一起去更生路的"一家餐廳"參加他兒子的喜宴. 他兒子跟我們家貓咪的醫生的女兒結婚. 台東是個小地方, 所以這樣的巧合並不是一件不可思議的事.
Many other teachers and staff from my school were on hand for the banquet. But as you might expect, I was the only foreigner there. Sitting at our table was Mrs. Tu, who is retiring this year, and her husband, and also Gen Wei, his wife, and their two children. 喜宴上有許多我們學校的老師和員工參加, 同時那裏只有我一個外國人. 我們這桌除了我們一家四口之外,還有塗老師跟她的先生, 和根維老師一家.
At the beginning of the banquet, there were the usual round of speeches by the host, locals trying to get elected to various offices, and some others. By the time the food started arriving, the speeches had given way to karaoke, and several principals took the stage. Many of these singers were quite accomplished. 喜宴一開始, 就有很多人上台祝賀致詞. 有別校的校長, 有選舉候選人, 也有其他重要人士. 開始上菜之後, 就有人開始唱歌. 有的校長很會唱歌.
All of the food was good, but by the time we had worked our way through the fish, the sashimi, the lamb, the pork, the chicken, the crab, and the shrimp we were all feeling too full for words. In between the dishes I drank down a single bottle of Taiwan beer, and I felt very relaxed. I reflected on the fact that I have now been at Tung Hai Elementary longer than any other school I have ever worked at, and this fact felt very right to me, very good. 每道菜都很好吃, 可是當我們從生魚片, 豬肉, 雞肉, 螃蟹, 一路到蝦子之後,飽撐的程度已經無法以言語形容了. 我也喝了一瓶台灣啤酒放鬆. 那時候我想到自己在東海國小已經三年了. 這是我待得最久的工作地方, 我很滿意,也覺得很高興.
On my way out I did my best to congratulate Principal Wang on his son's wedding. He is a shy man, and I didn't want to say too much. I hope he knows how happy I am, for him and his son. I hope he knows that I appreciate his support during two years of teaching at Tung Hai Elementary. 我們離開的時候, 我跟王校長說一聲恭喜. 他很害羞, 所以我沒說很多. 希望他知道我內心充滿了對他及他兒子的祝福. 我也希望他知道我很感謝他那兩年的支持.
And if he didn't know then, perhaps he does now. 如果他當時不知道, 也許他現在知道了.
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